🌌 Engage school students with your work

We are on the lookout for people to help us inspire the next generation!

Take part in fast-paced, instant messaging-style Chats and answer students’ questions.

Does this sound like you?

  • Your research is STFC funded
  • You work at or use STFC facilities
  • You use data from STFC facilities
  • You are employed by STFC
  • You are employed by a company or organisation that partners with STFC

Apply to take part ❯

Help students to see themselves in STEM. In reading about you and your work, the topics that students learn about in the classroom become more than just things to remember for a test: they’re shown to have relevance to real life, now and in the future.

The activity is flexible and works around your schedule – join in at the times that suit you.

It’s all online and text-only. No preparation or travel needed.

It takes 2 minutes to apply. We’ll be in touch when we have a space for you on one of our activities.


The Science and Technologies Facilities Council supports I’m a Scientist.

“The Science & Technology Facilities Council is recognised as a leader in STEM engagement in the UK. Public engagement has always been important to us and we reach well over a million people every year with our engagement activities.

Our engagement programme uses the work of STFC’s staff, facilities, and wider community to involve people with science and technology. We want people all across the UK be inspired by science and engineering, to understand its value to society, and to appreciate that science and engineering open doors to hundreds of rewarding careers.

We are funded by the UK public: listening, understanding, and discussing their views of the impact of science and technology on society is both our responsibility and our privilege.”



Rewarding public engagement

By taking part you’ll get to:

  • Inspire the next generation in STEM
  • Support students to see science as ‘for them’ and break down stereotypes of what a scientist is ‘supposed’ to be
  • Show students that what they learn in class has real-world applications
  • Improve your public engagement skills in “the best crash-course in science communication”


Connect with students rather than talking at them

I’m a Scientist is student-led. The questions put to you will be those that the students really care about, not what they think they should ask.

The text-based platform gives every student an equal voice, from the most confident to the most shy, and actively engages 89% of participating students.



Flexible to suit your schedule

You choose when to take part in 30-minute live Chats with students and when to answer their follow-up questions on the site.

You’ll retain control over your availability: block off days when you can’t take part, set the number of Chats you can manage per week – we’ll arrange the rest.

You should expect to spend an average of an hour and a half per month engaging with students across the academic year.


🗨️ What scientists say:

“The questions asked were both fun and challenging, keeping me on my toes at all times and giving me a fresh perspective and enthusiasm for my own research”

“Love, love, loving taking part in @imascientist, so much fun, very engaging”

Find out more:

Apply to take part ❯

Questions?

Email support@imascientist.org.uk